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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25047613">By Habit</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira'>Kalira</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain Harlock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Brooding, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Home, Homecoming, M/M, Sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:27:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>994</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25047613</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Though Harlock has spent many nights in his legendarily long life brooding in his throne on the Arcadia's bridge, it is a pleasant change that now it is more habit which draws and keeps him there than dark thoughts - at least on certain nights. With Yama aboard, Harlock finds his own bed far too tempting to remain elsewhere.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harlock/Yama | Logan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>By Habit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The first draft of this story was written two years ago, as part of a music shuffle challenge, to the song Hunter, by Dido.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The door to the Captain’s quarters opened ahead of Yama as he yawned, and he brushed a hand over the wall in absent appreciation as he slipped inside. He smiled, reaching for the closure of his jacket, and headed straight for the bed in the next room.</p><p>He paused just past the doorway, then sighed, doing his jacket back up as he turned around. The door to the corridor was still open behind him, unusually, and Yama’s lips twitched.</p><p>Harlock was not in his - their - bed, and unless Yama missed his guess entirely, was nowhere in their quarters. It shouldn’t have been a surprise - it wasn’t much of one, really. He checked the other two rooms, just in case he was wrong, but they were dark, quiet - and empty of Harlock’s presence, regardless of his habit of silent brooding in the shadowy corners of the ship.</p><p>Yama left the lights off as he went, stepping back out into the ship’s corridors, making for the bridge. The lights were low, and the single crewman on duty was alert, but quiet. He nodded to Yama and offered a smile as he entered, and Yama nodded back, but said nothing.</p><p>He climbed the stairs and paused at the top of them. Harlock was slouched in his throne, head bowed and shaggy hair falling across his face. He might have been asleep, to look at him. He might <i>actually</i> be asleep, come to that - he rarely stayed on the bridge all night any longer, much less slept there as he had once, but that was when Yama was on board, and he had been away for a few days. He had no idea whether Harlock might revert to old habits in his absence.</p><p>Surely not so very much, though. It wasn’t as though Harlock was <i>so</i> attached to . . . him.</p><p>Yama shook his head, blinking, as that thought occurred to him. He eyed Harlock curiously, then shook it off and approached. He was well aware Harlock loved him - even believed it, now, where he had once been hesitant - but that implied a level of . . . <i>need</i>, of reliance, which Yama thought unlikely. Had thought unlikely.</p><p>Though as he came nearer to his lover - it seemed Harlock really <i>was</i> asleep; Yama’s lips quirked with fond amusement - he found himself remembering how very . . . devoted Harlock could be. And . . . fragile, in his own way. Not that Yama would ever put it in such a way when speaking to Harlock himself, but it was true nevertheless.</p><p>“Harlock.” Yama called softly, reaching out and brushing his palm over Harlock’s shoulder. “I’m back, love.” He kept his voice low, but gripped Harlock’s shoulder a little more firmly.</p><p>He stirred under the clasp, breath catching as he lifted his head. Yama smiled as Harlock focused on him, went still for a moment, then just . . . looked at him, expression warming.</p><p>“Welcome home.” Harlock said, a little rough from sleep. The sound sent a pleasant thrum through Yama, a shiver thrilling along his spine, and he smiled a little more. “I. . .” Harlock trailed off and Yama eyed him curiously, making a small prompting sound. He shook his head.</p><p>Yama let it be, at least for the moment. “You don’t need to be up here tonight, do you?” he asked, giving Harlock a hopeful look. <i>Probably</i> Harlock had just come up here - or stayed here - as was his old habit, but there was a chance he had truly been needed on the bridge.</p><p>Harlock smiled slightly and shook his head. “No. No, of course not. It’s late, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Very late.” Yama agreed, though time was ever a little uncertain when living in space. “I only just returned and I expected to find you in our bed. . .”</p><p>Harlock’s smile broadened a little as he rose from his throne, hand sliding down over Yama’s arm to take his own in a warm clasp. Yama leaned into him, claiming a soft kiss before allowing his lover to lead the way back off the bridge and to the Captain’s quarters. The ship was calm and the soft thump of their boots on the deck in the quiet was almost meditative.</p><p>Harlock’s palm slid over his side as the door closed behind them, then dropped away, and Yama gave a faint smile, trailing his fingers over his lover’s arm as he passed. Yama crossed the room to the bed, then yawned and let himself fall backwards to sprawl on it, eye closed. He didn’t stir again until Harlock nudged him gently. He mumbled a wordless acknowledgement, opening his eye to find Harlock now leaning over him.</p><p>Harlock smiled slightly, shaking his head and beginning to undo Yama’s jacket for him.</p><p>Yama sighed and pushed himself upright to make it easier, humming happily under Harlock’s gentle hands. “Why were you on the bridge tonight?” he asked, smoothing his hands up Harlock’s sides once his own shirt had been discarded along with Harlock’s, somewhere on the floor.</p><p>Harlock rolled one shoulder dismissively, then shook his head. “Thinking.” he murmured, rubbing his thumb along Yama’s jaw. “I lost track of time, I suppose.” He laughed, low and wry, and Yama stroked his lover’s side once more, comforting this time.</p><p>“Miss me?” Yama asked gently rather than pursue that line of inquiry, tilting his head away and glancing up at Harlock sidelong.</p><p>Both of Harlock’s hands came up to cup his face, startling him into meeting his lover’s gaze fully once more.</p><p>“Very much.” Harlock said simply, and Yama opened his mouth, then closed it again, flushing. Harlock hummed, lips curling, then bent to kiss him lightly. “I’m pleased you have returned, darling.”</p><p>Yama lay back once more, giving a tug to draw Harlock with him. “I am glad to be back on board . . . back home.” he said, and huffed a fond laugh as the Arcadia ticked quietly around them, the lights beginning to dim when Harlock settled at his side, drawing the plush coverlet over them both.</p>
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